The Final Curtain
by Sergeant Turtle
Summary: Meridian #5 (Finale). Only one clan will rise from the ashes of a twilight war and Clan Hamato know they have to win – but will the price bring a bitter victory? Trust your family. Don't let go. It all ends here. (Rated T for the usual stuff, you know – blood, violence, scariness, emotional distress, etc.)


**Hello, dear readers! Here's Part Five at last! I AM BACK, PEOPLE! WOOHOO!**

**I don't own anybody mentioned in this chapter. Sad. :(**

* * *

Prologue: Retrospect

'So, Agent Bishop – I hear your plan was successful. You are to be congratulated, I believe.'

A silence. Bishop didn't trust himself to speak; instead focusing on hiding the fear that was making his hands tremble.

He was doomed.

'But then again,' continued the voice, 'that was several months ago…'

DOOMED.

'… and there is an air about you that suggests something is not right at all. So tell me, Bishop-'

His head would be on a spike before long and used for target practice by mid-afternoon. With the eyes lasered out. And the mouth stitched up.

'- HOW COULD YOU LET THEM ESCAPE?!'

Karai heard the shouting as she passed by the door, and sighed. Who was it in trouble _this_ time?

Things were changing around Foot headquarters. Training was getting more intense, weapons were being upgraded, and everyone was getting just a little high-strung. Something was brewing.

Something big.

* * *

Mikey flipped through channels to his favourite cartoons, settling back on the couch and yawning as the brightly coloured characters ran across the screen with giant mallets, sticks of dynamite, and silly hats. Last night's patrol had been exhausting. They' leapt around half the city with no sign of Bishop's men or the Foot. By three in the morning they'd given up, and when they got home, Leo had taken one look at them and sent them all straight to bed.

Leo. Poor Leo, who still couldn't venture topside because of the sensory overload he had been experiencing – and the crippling fear he encountered when they ventured through the subway. Who still suffered periodical attacks from his own mind that left him shaky and disoriented.

Mikey had seen the longing, almost hungry look on his big brother's face every time they ran out the door. Many times Don had offered to stay, but Leo would insist that three turtles were better than two. The unspoken "but four would be even better" would always hang in the air for a while. After several weeks, Don decided not to ask anymore, but they could still tell that he missed the wind in his face and the concrete pounding under his feet and the stars over his head.

There was a tinkle of breaking glass from Don's lab and an irritated exclamation. Mike smiled. _Crazy genius. Wonder if he's finished those EMP grenades yet?_

Standing up, he wandered out of the room, leaving the TV blaring. The remote lay on the arm of the couch for several minutes before a new green hand swept it up and switched the set off. 'Never one to worry about electricity, are you, Mikey?' mused a gentle voice. 'Suppose that's more Donnie's department, hey?'

Leo smiled as a flow of lively chatter emerged from the lab. His twin must have agreed to one of Mikey's strange ideas for a new – and most likely dangerous – mode of transport. That, or his baby brother was actually daring to interrupt the genius at work. Which was a bad idea, proved seconds later by the sight of the orange-masked turtle running for his life, covered in a disgusting dark-blue slimy substance.

It would have been funny, if things like this hadn't been happening more often lately; Don's already-legendary temper was under a lot of stress. Leo felt a sudden twinge of guilt – it was partly because of him.

Don emerged from his lab and shot an apologetic look at his twin before going to find Mikey. The sizzle of anger from the genius faded, replaced by an awkward, subdued feeling. The blue-masked turtle shook his head slightly, trying to get rid of the thoughts that were buzzing around like flies. It wasn't easy having to deal with his brother's emotions as well as his own.

* * *

Silence was becoming more and more prevalent in the lair after recent events. The twins in particular were holding back any strong emotions in an effort to reduce the likelihood of one of them losing it. Raph was just his normal surly self, and Mikey, unnerved by the stillness, was unusually quiet most days.

Don knocked gently on his baby brother's door. 'Mikey?'

'Go 'way,' came the whimper from inside, and Don's heart sank. 'Mikey, please let me in.'

'No.'

'Please don't be scared of me, Mikey. Please.'

Mikey's eyes widened at the tone in his brother's voice. _Don_ was the one who sounded scared. Sure, Mikey was upset, but he wasn't scared so why –

_Oh._

_Oh, Donnie, _I _should be the one saying sorry._

The door opened, and Don didn't get a single word out before he found himself with an armful of brother. 'M'sorry, Donnie,' mumbled the smaller turtle into the genius' shoulder. 'I wasn't scared a'you, you know. You're not really that scary, anyway.'

'Don't lie to me, Mikey. Please. It just makes me feel worse.'

Mikey raised his head. 'I'm not lying,' he said, punching his brother lightly in the arm, 'you just don't believe me.'

'Mike –'

'How long is it gonna take for you to realise that you're still just Donatello Hamato, our brother? We know that you would never attack us on purpose – unless we're sparring of course, then you have to attack us, but it wouldn't be dangerous unless we actually hurt you and you went all berserk and –' He clapped both hands over his beak as he realised he'd gone too far _again._ But Don just laughed and ruffled his brother's blonde locks, 'As if you could tag me in sparring – you can hardly get Raph!'

'Hey!'

* * *

The sound of his brothers' laughter rang through the lair, and Leo smiled, closing his eyes to let the healing sound wash over.

Before he collapsed gasping to all fours as pain shot through his head and a patchwork of sounds and images assailed him. It ended with a flash and he forced his eyes open to find himself curled on the floor. His twin was kneeling beside him, frantic. 'Leo? Leo, can you hear me?'

'Donnie…'

'What happened?' Don's voice was panicked. 'Leo, _what did you see?_'

The elder twin met his gaze, fear radiating from his bright silver eyes, and spoke a single word that turned the surrounding air to ice.

'_Him_.'

* * *

**And so it begins... evil chuckle**


End file.
